A Milestone Achievement

New Wheels for One of Our Independent Living Residents

This past March, Dontori aged out of foster care and moved into one of 4KIDS Independent Living (SOSI) guy homes. His primary motivation for wanting to be a part of the residential program was to be in a healthy living environment, surrounded by like-minded people who had his best interest at heart. This is something he felt he and his siblings did not have growing up. One of the Resident Advisors (RA) in his SOSI home, Edner, has been a huge source of encouragement for Dontori. Edner knew that Dontori had been working on getting his driver’s license for a while, and thought he’d give him an extra incentive. Edner told Dontori, “If you get your license, I will give you my car.”

After jumping through many hoops at the DMV (in light of their limited appointments and strict procedures due to COVID-19), that’s exactly what happened! Dontori has now been using his new car to help other SOSI residents with rides to work and the grocery store, and to get himself to his part-time job at the Boys and Girls Club, where he is a role model for younger kids. This accomplishment has brought him greater appreciation for the accountability and support he receives at SOSI.

For any teen, getting a driver’s license is certainly a milestone achievement, but the reward for Dontori goes even deeper. When he first applied for SOSI, he shared that he would do whatever it took to ensure his future children had every opportunity to succeed. At such a young age, he is already making positive choices to pave the way for his family. Having his driver's license and reliable transportation can now bring him one step closer to making his selfless dreams a reality!